In our coverage for Lion Fight 38, we mentioned that the event's main bout, a title fight between Regian Eersel and Matous Kohout, was a replacement for a prospective main event that was cancelled -- a bout between Tong Anucha and Saempapecth Fairtex. Lion Fight spokespersons announced the changes to the main card more than a month ago.

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(Editorial Note: the purpose of this post is to launch a possible regular column on "up-and-coming" fighters in the Connecticut MMA scene.) 

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We recently had a chat with North Haven's Blair Tugman (10-6) regarding his career and upcoming featherweight fight on the main card of Bellator 182 with A.J. McKee (8-0) on August 25 in Verona, New York. Look for more updates on the event later this week.

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By Brian Woodman

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Premier FC 23 provided nine bouts, including three professional fights, to a boisterous crowd. The event included two amateur title fights and consisted mostly of finishes.

The restaurant Chez Josef in Agawam, Massachusetts hosted the June 3 event.

The first title fight was for the vacant 185-pound belt. Team
Link’s Pat Casey (6-1), whom also holds Premier FC’s 185-pound belt, defeated Castantino Gemelas (4-3) of FAA (Fighting Arts Academy) by decision to win the strap. Although both fighters exchanged shots, Casey appeared dominant and stalked Gemelas during the earlier rounds, Gemelas landed a kick in the fourth round and almost reversed the direction of the fight, attempting an arm bar submission as the round ended. But Casey shot at and took Gemelas down, winding up in his guard until the fight ended.

The next title fight, a heavyweight bout between Ray Sherwood (2-0) of Ultimate MMA and Mike Leverette (4-2) of Garage MMA, came to a swifter end. Sherwood shot out and took down Leverette, grounding and pounding him until the referee waved the fight off at 1:18 in the first round.

The next fight was a professional bout between Erick Santiago (2-1), also of Team Link, and Timothy Wheeler (who contracted for the fight at 135 pounds, according to information from Premier FC). Santiago, who contracted at 140 pounds, ground-and-pounded Wheeler (1-4) and ended the fight at :11 in the first round.

The next professional bout was a 125-pound women’s fight between Tammy Worrick (0-2) of Extreme Ambition and Lisa Blaine (1-0) of Ultimate MMA.  Blaine unloaded a punching combination on Worricjk at the end of the first round after a lot of clinching. During he second round, Blaine hit Worrick with a combination that sent her falling straight backwards and stunned. The fight ended at 2:23 in the round with Blaine winning by knockout.

The main event, a 205-pound bout between Mike Diorio (1-0) of Cortland MMA and Sean Evans (1-2), was the only other fight that went to a decision. Diorio won by split decision.

The first round started off with clinching and was marked by cautious stand up. It climaxed with a furious punching exchange.

There was a brief stoppage during the second round, by which time Evans had a cut on his cheek. Evans attempted a flying knee during the exchanges.

Diorio rushed Evans as the third round opened and unleashed a punching combination on his upper body. Although the strikes went back and forth, Diorio appeared more dominant and seemed to push the pace. The round ended in mid-clinch.

The evening opened with a heavyweight amateur bout between Nicholas Brown (0-5) and R.J. Hayes (2-6). Brown verbally submitted at :42 in the second round following strikes on the ground.

The next bout was a 165-pound amateur fight between Jason Showers (0-1) of Extreme Ambition and Jason Thomas (1-0) of Diverse Academy. The first round included simultaneous submission attempts but Thomas wound up on top of Showers in a bully mount and began throwing punches. The referee waved the fight off at 2:29 in the round and a visibly exhausted Thomas, who won by TKO, collapsed.

Arslan Otchiyev (4-3), also of FAA, won the next fight -- a 145-pound amateur bout with Diego Lopez (1-1) of Juniko.

Lopez went for Orchiyev’s neck from the bottom after they went to the ground during the first round -- Otchiyev attempted side control as the round ended.

During the second round, Otchiyev brought the fight to the ground and submitted Lopez at 1:03 with a rear naked choke.

The fourth fight, a 155-pound amateur bout, also ended with a rear naked choke in the second round. Miguel Cuevas (3-0) of Battlecrew defeated Harrison Adamo (2-1) of Ultimate MMA  at 2:32 in the round.

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Lion Fight, which presents live Muay Thai events, will return to Foxwoods Resort Casino on July 28 with two championship fights on the main card.

Spokespersons for the promotion just announced that Jo Nattawut will defend his super welterweight title that evening against Petchtanong Banchamek.

East Hartford's Paul Banasiak, who won by unanimous decision over Brett Hlavacek during a cruiserweight bout at Lion Fight 36 in April at Foxwoods, is scheduled to face Chip Moraza-Pollard. The winner will earn the promotion's vacant cruiserweight belt.

Moraza-Pollard also competed in Lion Fight 36. He knocked out Matt Coleman in spectacular fashion during the second round of a super cruiserweight bout.

Other bouts on the card include a lightweight fight between Amine Ballafrikh and Johncy Lincor, a welterweight fight between Alex Olave and Eric Rocha, and a lightweight fight between Jafar Toshev and Geoffrey Then.

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By Brian Woodman Jr.

Premier Fighting Championship 22 is coming Agawam, Massachusetts on March 11 with 12 fights scheduled on the card. The Chez Josef dining hall will host the event.

Karyn Wesch is the principal owner of Premier FC, according to information from the organization. A statement from spokespersons indicated it is New England's first female-owned MMA organization.

The main card includes; a 195-pound bout between Justin Sumter and Mike Diorio; a 170-pound bout between Addison O'Neil and Nick Alley; a 185-pound bout between Sean Evans and Montoyia Swilling; a 130-pound bout between Sarah Payant and Tammy Worrick; and a heavyweight bout between Walter Taylor and James Dysard.

The undercard includes three amateur title fights -- William Knight versus Ron Marshall (205 pounds), Pat Casey versus Angelo Richardson (170 pounds) and Charles Boner versus Nick Fiori (155 pounds).

Other scheduled bouts include; a 170-pound bout between Bobby Garner and Jason Showers; a 145-pound bout between Kenny Champion and Miguel Cuevas; a 170-pound bout between Joe Mikolinski and Mario Peterson; and a 175-pound bout between Ray Johns and Jordan Boisvert.

Further updates on this and other events will be posted on our Facebook page.

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By Brian Woodman Jr.

The Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, better known as the Big E, hosted AMMO Fight League’s debut MMA event on Feb. 25. The event, AMMO Locked and Loaded MMA 1, included four mixed grappling bouts, two amateur MMA fights and two professional championship matches.

The organization has up to this point been best known for its mixed grappling events, which are held at the Nomads Quest recreation facility in South Windsor. The AMMO event was originally scheduled for November of last year.

Leon Davis secured the organization’s inaugural welterweight belt during the main event. He submitted Ralph Johnson at :40 in the first round with a guillotine choke.

During a lightweight title fight that preceded it, Vovka Clay submitted Andrew Chirico with an anaconda choke at 1:50 in the first round. Earlier in the fight Chirico took Clay’s back and attempted a rear naked choke.

The event opened with a submission-only grappling bout between Gabriel Souza and Donnie Osier. Both competitors wore gis in the cage -- the other grappling matches were gi-less with the fighters wearing rash guards. The first bout ended with Souza winning by securing what appeared to be a wrist lock.

Damian Roofy, who came in as a replacement, submitted Matt Bienia with an ankle hold at 4:44 in a subsequent grappling match.

Mike Kimbel of Waterbury fought fellow 140-pounder Randy Francis of Norwich during the evening’s first MMA bout. After a first round marked primarily by ground work, the fighters entered the second round swinging. Kimbel combined punching with a few high kicks and won following a referee stoppage, with Francis appearing dazed but still on  his feet as the fight ended.

The next match was a 155-pound MMA bout between Harrison Adamo and Chris Balboni. Adamo submitted Balboni at 2:44 in the first round with a guillotine choke.

During another mixed grappling match, Placido Santos submitted Chris Manley at 4:41 with what appeared to be a heel hook. Santos spent much of the match actually sitting and waiting for Manley to grapple with him.

The final grappling match lasted for nearly 13 minutes. It ended with Oliver Taza submitting Caio Magales with an ankle lock.

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As I drive through Bristol center this week, I see a billboard for Bellator 170 that shows the competitors in the main event, Tito Ortiz and Chael Sonnen, snarling and throwing punches. Great marketing, but let's face it -- the relevancy of these two fighters to the current MMA scene is a matter of debate.

The real news is the co-main event -- a welterweight bout between Brennan Ward (15-4-0), "the Irish bad boy," and Paul Daley (38-14-2). Ward, who made a name for himself in Bellator's middleweight tournament a few years ago, is poised to make a main event at this rate. He has gone beyond merely appearing on Bellator cards when the organization comes to Mohegan Sun -- something some of the best fighters in the area could not always do consistently.

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By Terry Sutton

Nick Newell - Best known as a retired MMA fighter who was born with congenital defect of one his arms.  He competes essentially with half an arm and successfully beats opponents to a tune of a 14 win and one loss record while he contended for the WSOF lightweight title.  In High School he wrestled for Jonathan Law in Milford where as a senior in  2004 he took fourth place in the State Open Championships at the 130 pound weight class.  That year he took home a 53-10 record wrestling in several different weight classes.    Wrestled at Western New England college and was captain his senior year. 

TJ Hepburn - With a 4-2 professional record, he has fought on the undercard of some Bellator events.  At Ledyard high school, he was one of the most accomplished wrestlers ever in Connecticut.  He was a three time State Open Champion, Two Time New England Champion and even won the National Championship at 135 pounds his junior year.   Hepburn had an amazing record of 194 wins and only 3 losses which he finished in 2007.   While in College at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, he was the NCAA Division II national wrestling championship at 157 pounds.

Brennan Ward -  One of several standouts for  Waterford High School, he has continued his success as a competitor in several main card bouts for the Bellator Promotion where he has a record of 14 wins and 4 losses in the Octagon.  During his senior year of high school in 2006, he took 2nd place in the State Open Championships at 135.  In the finals of that tournament he lost to TJ Hepburn by a score of 9-2.  Ward would also place 5th in the New England Championships later that year.  He went on to wrestle for Division Three school, Johnson & Wales.  There he had won the New England Title and earned All-American honors by being the runner-up for the  184 pounds Division Three Championship.

Orville Palmer - A Middletown High School Wrestling Standout who won 2 State Open and New England Championships.  This monster of the wrestling mat  also had 114 wins and only 5 losses   He graduated to wrestle for the Division One University of Oklahoma.  He placed 7th at 197 pound weight class in the 2000 NCAA Championships.  Competed in Mixed Martial Arts and attained a 4-0 record which included a stint in the now defunct International Fight League in which many fighters went on to compete in the UFC. 

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Bellator nails when they place style over substance. Never mind the UFC cast-offs -- just bring in good fights with internally-cultivated talent. That is what the organization did on Nov. 4 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville during Bellator 163.

The main card opened with Javy Ayala (10-5) knocking out Sergei Kharitonov (23-6) 16 seconds into their heavyweight fight with a right cross that sent the Russian flying backward. It was particularly impressive when one considers that Kharitonov was considered the popular favorite.

The event ended with Phil Davis (17-3), who was also considered an underdog by some, dominating Liam McGeary (11-1) for five rounds and securing his light heavyweight belt. It marked McGeary’s first defeat, which he handled with grace and class. Although McGeary is known for his interesting submission skills, Foster used his wrestling background to keep him off balance.

The second fight on the main card was a catchweight bout between Neiman Gracie (5-0) and Rudy Bears (16-5). Gracie brought his submission skills to bear quickly, and while it looked like he was attempting a leg triangle choke among the tangle of limbs, he actually secured a submission at 4:39 using an arm bar.

The next fight was a brutal 90-second welterweight slugfest between Waterford’s Brennan Ward (14-4) and Saad Awad (19-9). It ended with Ward, who made a name for himself in one of Bellator's middleweight tournaments, securing a knockout.

The preliminary results were;

Ed Ruth (1-0) secured a TKO of Dustin Collins-Miles (0-1) at 3:19 in the first round.

Tyrell Fortune (1-0) secured a TKO of Cody Miskell (0-1) at 2:22 in the first round.

Tim Caron (6-0) secured a TKO of Steve Skrzat (8-9) at 1:22 in the first round.

Hannah Regina (1-0) submitted Sarah Payant (1-4) with an arm bar at 4:51 in the first round.

Blair Tugman (9-6) earned a decision over Walter Smith-Ciotto (4-5, 1 no contest).

Christopher Foster (10-4) of Middletown earned a decision over Thomas English (6-7) with two judges scoring it 30-27 and one scoring it 29-28.

Tyler King (12-4) submitted Josh Diekman (15-8, 1 no contest) with a rear naked choke at 1:39 in the second round.

Carlos Corriea (2-0) earned a split decision over Ilya Kotau (1-2).

Vinicius De Jesus (5-1) submitted James Boran (6-1) with a rear naked choke at 1:55 in the second round.

Look for retrospective commentary on the event here over the next few days.

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Bellator 163 is already promising to be an exciting event courtesy of the main bout -- a light heavyweight title fight between Liam McGeary (11-0) and Phil Davis (16-3).

Connecticut's own Brennan Ward (13-4) will also appear on the main card at Bellator 163 on Nov. 4 at Mohegan Sun. But Waterford resident Ward, who will fight Saad Awad (19-8) in a welterweight bout, will not be the only Connecticut-based fighter to compete.

The preliminary card includes;

Thomas English (6-6) vs. Christopher Foster (9-4) of Middletown in a featherweight bout.

Ilya Kotau (1-1) of Danbury vs. Carlos Corriea (1-0) of Naugatuck in a welterweight bout.

Josh Diekmann (15-7, 1 NC) of Groton vs. Tyler King (11-4) in a heavyweight bout.

Blair Tugman (8-6) of North Haven vs. Walter Smith-Cotito (4-4, 1 NC) in a featherweight bout.

The main card includes;

Welterweight Bout: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Derek Anderson (14-2)

Heavyweight Bout: Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) vs. Javy Ayala (9-5)

Featherweight Bout: Marloes Coenen (23-7) vs. Talita Nogueira (6-0)

The preliminary card also includes;

Middleweight Bout: Ed Ruth (Debut) vs. Mark Mangiardi (Debut)

Heavyweight Bout: Tyrell Fortune (Debut) vs. Cody Miskell (Debut)

Catchweight Bout: Neiman Gracie (4-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-14)

Middleweight Bout: Michael Zichelle (8-4) vs. Tim Caron (5-0)

Flyweight Bout: Sarah Payant (1-3) vs. Hannah Regina (Debut)

Welterweight Bout: Keenan Raymond (3-3) vs. Kastroit Xhema (Debut)

Welterweight Bout: James Boran (6-0) vs. Vinicius De Jesus (4-1)

(Editorial Note: card provided courtesy of Bellator).

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By Nicola Faroane

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By Nicola Faroane

When you look sat Naugatuck resident Carlos Correia, who will be fighting on Nov. 4 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Bellator: McGeary versus Davis, you can see it in his eyes -- the story of his life. The old adage about the eyes being the window to the soul appear true in this case.

His story starts 27 years ago in Caracas, Venezuela. He has always been a fighter -- his first fight took place in the schoolyard when he was a child and targeted by a school bully that knew he couldn't defend himself.

But family is important in his life and his older cousin promptly decided to level the playing field. Correia saw that fighting was not only a way out but could earn him respect -- it was also essential for surviving in his neighborhood. But his family realized that some fights can't be won, only lost and they moved to America in 2003.

His sister was attacked and had a knife held to her throat. His parents decided then that it was time to leave that country.

After he arrived, a friend that was training in MMA exposed him to the sport. He began training as soon as he reached 18 years of age and fought in the cage for the first time three months later -- his debut was a humbling experience.

It is part of a journey during the last 10 years that has provided him with more than he would have thought -- inside and outside of the cage. His true love is dogs and he owns a business called Coaching 4 Paws that works with aggressive dogs.

But the current year has been particularly eventful for him. He currently has a 3-1 amateur record with Cage Titans and Warrior Nation -- he won his professional debut in the former by TKO in the first round on April 19, defeating Alex Dolan, and married his childhood sweetheart Kaycee a month later, with his teammate Dan Dubeque from DCNU serving as his best man.

He will be fighting a top prospect at Mohegan Sun -- Danbury's Ilya Kotau, who trains with UFC veteran Glover Teixiera. But Correia, who holds a purple belt in BJJ, states he is in the best shape of his life and is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in New England. He expressed confidence in wherever the fight will go, adding that "a punch to the face is a punch to the face."

He said he is looking to win in an impressive fashion in November. "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog," as the saying goes.

Correia, the first Venezuelan to fight for Bellator, will be seeking the victory that began in his home country.

Editorial Note: the fighter interviewed requested that thanks go out to his sponsors -- Eric Plaude of Seecfinancial.com, Cluadia Elfreich of Fitcw/Claudia.com, Bill Palifka of Blackshoe.com, Jessica Nate Sisco of Siscosweats.com, Igdalia Medina of Medinaphotography.net and Tim Pepin of Dr.Pepin.com.

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Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket hosted CES 38 on Friday evening, September 23 and it was an entertaining event. The main event included two UFC veterans and a memorable finish, but the co-main event featuring a Connecticut fighter did not suffer by comparison.

Here is a list of the results with a few of my thoughts (we will post complete feature coverage with photos later this weekend.

The Main Event : (Featherweights) Levan Makashavili (9-2) Sean Soriano (9-5) submits by rear naked choke at 4:05 in round two.

This was an exciting fight that Soriano was winning in points before Makashavili sank the choke. Makashavili's frantic over-reaction following his victory was alone worth the price of admission.

(Featherweights) Calvin Katter (16-2) defeats Chris Foster (9-5) by Unanimous decision.

I could not help but root for Middletown's own Foster, who was presented as the clear underdog in this fight against obvious crowd favorite Katter. The bout was heavy on striking exchanges with Katter mixing his strikes and Foster leaning towards boxing. Foster held his own well during the first two rounds against Katter's lower leg kicks and high kicks, slipping punches while pacing himself (one judge gave Foster the second round in points). But about halfway through the third round it went to the ground and Katter clearly dominated the rest of the fight.

(Middleweights) Mike Rodriguez (5-1) submits John Poppie (7-4) at 1:32 in round two.

The first round went back-and-forth (one judge gave the first round two Poppie), but during the second round Rodriguez secured a leg triangle around his opponent and grabbed his head. Poppie tapped out.

(Bantamweights) David Garcia (3-1) submits Rico Discuiullo (6-1) at 2:25 in round one.

Garcia thanked Jesus Christ as the announcer spoke with him after he clinched the fight with a keylock. A visibly frustrated Discuiullo shouted a less diplomatic word beginning with an "f" as he verbally vented while leaving the cage.

(Heavyweights) Pat Walsh (8-2) defeats Carlos Zevallos (3-4) by TKO at 1:49 in round one.

Walsh scored a single-leg takedown early in the fight and dropped some elbows. One of them appeared to do serious damage to Zevallos directly above his eye, causing a visible bulge in his skull, and the referee stopped the fight.

(Bantamweights) Kody Nordby (7-4) defeats Brandon Seyler (6-4-1) by decision.

The first two rounds went back and forth as both fighters attempted various submissions. Nordby nonetheless appeared to dictate the pace of the fight. two judges scored it at 30-26 and one 30-27.

(Featherweights) Derek Shorey (4-7) submits Pete Rogers Jr. (2-4) by armbar at 3:25 in round one.

Shorey scored a single-leg takedown against Rogers early in the first round, following up later with a suplex. Rogers later scooped Shorey up and dumped him. But during the second round Shorey secured the armbar and appeared to seriously hurt Rogers as both fighters tumbled down, prompting the referee to wave off the fight.

(Flyweights) Richie Santiago (1-0) submits Brandon Warne (2-2) by rear naked choke at :52 in round one.

Santiago impressed the crowd in his professional debut that evening, making quick work of Warne.

(Lightweights) Wayne Ahlquist (2-3) defeats Lionel Young (7-16) by split decision.

Young dominated the first round, scoring a few takedowns and mounting with some ground-and-pound. But after that the tide turned, with Ahlquist nearly securing two rear naked chokes in the second round (one judge still gave that round to Young). Ahlquist generally dominated the third round despite a brief but frantic striking exchange.

(Bantamweights) Kris Moutinho (1-0) defeats Matthew Maldonado (0-1) by unanimous decision.

Moutinho generally dominated the fight, scoring takedowns and sporadically grounding-and-pounding Maldonado.

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By Nicola Faraone

When the cage door shuts, Meriden native Chris Foster turns into his other persona, “Cassius” -- a name given to him by Connecticut MMA veteran “The Savage” Randy Roe. 

Roe have Foster the nickname after seeing how well Foster moved around the boxing ring (the reference being to Cassius Clay who later in his career became known as Muhammad Ali -- considered to be one of the best fighters of the "sweet science").

Foster, who is 28 years old, has been involved in MMA for over 10 years.  Sporting a record of 10-4, he first became involved in the sport after speaking with his boxing coach, Jason Bennet.  Foster also wrestled in high school and this made the transition to MMA smoother than it is for many. While attending WCSU in Danbury, CT, the final piece to his MMA puzzle would be completed. 

Training with seasoned Muay Thai practitioner, Rob Cipriano, Foster was then introduced to world class BJJ black belt, Danilo Cherman.  Over the course of ten years Foster has learned a lot -- even from his losses. 

“First and foremost, to never leave the fight in the hands of the judges," he said. He has also learned to push the pace of the fight and dictate where he wants the fight to go, he said. 

Foster is excited for his upcoming bout against fellow 145-pound fighter Calvin Kattar on September 23 at Foxwoods Resort Casino during the next CES event (his third with that organization).

Foster said his weight cut has been easier than last time around, when he fought on the Bellator undercard in April at Mohegan Sun Arena.  He also stated that he is in much better shape and does not feel “heavy” like he did for his last fight. 

Besides training at The Cage and with team DCNU for his next fight, Foster has added the help of fellow Bellator veteran Andrew Calandrelli of UMMA.  Foster, a BJJ blue belt, feels he is more comfortable than he has ever been, should the fight go to the ground. 

He advised fans to make no mistake about it -- when he steps in the cage this month, Foster is looking for the big KO. Foster is not only looking for the win, but looking to impress at the same time.  He hopes that showcasing his talent in his home state will lead to getting a call by the major promotions. 

The knock of opportunity from the UFC, Bellator, or WSOF could be a loud one and coming soon. Foster is listening for that knocking by getting dirty before he turns 30, he said. 

Chris, who is represented by Prime Elite Management (a division of the Massachusetts-based Prime Athletics Corporation), thanked his coaches, teammates, and his gyms. He also expressed gratitude to Sean Rockwell, Sean Manna, Chris Fitzgerald, Mark Vanaman and his management's partners --   Northeast Financial Strategies (NFS.net), Nguyen Sound (NguyenSound.com) and Primed and Ready Meals (PrimedAndReadyMeals.com). 

He is currently sponsored by Feel Fresh Hair Studio, Nardelli’s of Wallingford, CT and Mister B’s Jerky Company.   

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Interview by Nicola Faroane

Additional editorial contributions by Brian Woodman Jr.

Thirty-five-year-old Stamford resident Marcus Surin may work as an investment banker in New York City, but he made he made a statement regarding his sideline as an MMA competitor during his lightweight fight at World Series of Fighting 31 on June 17 -- he's serious.

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We recently had a conversation with Jon Thomas, who is president and CEO of the not-for-profit organization Tap Cancer Out -- a Stratford, Connecticut-based organization that holds BJJ tournaments in Connecticut, Massachusetts and California. Our previous conversation with them is posted here.

The organization, which raises money for cancer research, held a tournament on Oct. 27 in Danvers, Massachusetts at St. John's Preparatory School. It will hold another one on Oct. 22 at the United Sports Fieldhouse in Downington, Pennsylvania.

What makes the Danvers location an attractive locale for the tournament?

We’ve been hosting our tournaments on the campus of St. John’s Prep since 2012, so this was our fourth tournament there. It’s not only a great location for its facilities, but it gets us central enough to attract competitors from all New England states including Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, which don’t often have good tournaments come their way. 

How much did the last Danvers event raise?

We raised more than $86,000. Donations are still coming in actually. It was the second highest fundraising total we’ve ever had, which puts us over the $200,000 mark for 2016 so far and we’ve still got one tournament to go. 

How well attended is it compared to the other events that you hold?

Every year it gets bigger and bigger. At final count we had 340 competitors—adults, teens, juniors and kids—which was an 87% increase over the same tournament last year and the second-most competitors we’ve ever had at a tournament (our tournament last spring was our largest, attracting 460 competitors). 

What is the caliber of the competition that it attracts?

We have some amazing competitors at all our belts, including black belts. You can catch some of the higher belt finals matches that were live streamed on our Facebook page, but this year our lightweight finals saw Renan Borges (New England United BJJ) vs Bruno Dias (Barbosa JJ). 

Will you be adding other locations to your schedule over time?

Absolutely. We added Philly for 2016 and we’re eyeing a new city in 2017. We hope to announce that one in the coming months. 

More information on the organization can be found at their web site.

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Bill Idol, president of AMMO (American Mixed Martial Organizations) Fight League, announced this month in a prepared statement that his organization will now offer MMA competitions in Massachusetts. The organization is perhaps best known for offering mixed grappling competitions – usually at the Nomad’s Quest recreation facility in South Windsor. AMMO organizers have considered running MA events since establishing the organization, according to prior statements from Idol.

The statement reads;

“After nearly four years in the grappling business, AMMO Fight League, will be making their long awaited MMA debut at the Eastern States Exposition Center aka as The Big E. Located in West Springfield Massachusetts on November 19th. The promotions debut card dubbed “Lock and Load” will feature some of New England’s premier fighters.

AMMO Fight League will operate as an amateur and professional mixed martial arts promotion and will initially host events in the state of Massachusetts.

AMMO’s leadership team will not lack credentials when it comes to the world of this sport. AMMO Fight League President Bill Idol, 20 years of experience in the Music Entertainment Industry and a current national entertainment booking agent. Bill has had the ability and opportunity to become familiar with every aspect of this business. Marketing, Promoting, Booking, and Producing are all components that he has excelled at for the majority of his career. He is a 2nd degree black belt in American Kenpo and a Blue Belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Bill plans on utilizing his entertainment key skills assists as he ventures into his new endeavor.

AMMO Fight League will not be without familiar names to East Cost MMA aficionados. From owning and running his own gym and MMA promotions and with an extensive back ground in matchmaking/training/managing amateur and professional MMA fighters since 2007 Jason Franklin comes with over 20 years in the martial arts business and will work closely with all team leads to ensure that everything is being met and on schedule leading up to every show and will be head of Operations.

Receiving a master’s degree in Computer science application and a project manager for a leading technology consultant company Saravanan Kanagaraj will oversee our finances.

With a Masters in computer science and a Bachelors in Business and co-promoting a fight promotions for the last 5 years Matt Roy will be coming in to do what he has experience in doing, to ensure that every aspect of the production is being done leading up to the show. Matt Roy will be AMMO’s Production coordinator.

Respected world ranked #1 Master Worlds grappling champion and ex-professional MMA fighter and owner and operator of his own school Virtue Brazilian Jiu Jitsu located in Springfield MA. Kym Sturdivant will bring his knowledge of fighters to be the league’s head matchmaker

Founder of Manente FSM LLC. A company that offers professional services in marketing, public & sponsor relations and retired U.S. Navy SeaBee Silvestro “Sly” Manente will head our Marketing and Sales department.

We want to come out strong with our first event and establish AMMO Fight League as a true MMA promotion. AMMO plans to feature the best up and coming prospects in MMA along with a mix of recognized and established professionals. Our goal is to become one of the sports premier MMA promotions in New England. Our emphasis has and will always be to carve out a direct path that fighters know they can take to ultimately make it to the highest level of the sport.”

Nutmegmma.com will provide more information from Idol and others as it becomes available.

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